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Star Clippers: Royal Clipper

Fodorite Reviews

Review of Royal Clipper

Heather Farmer
Age: 59
Occupation:Educational support worker
Number of Cruises: 3
Cruise Line: Star Clipper
Ship: Royal Clipper
Sailing Date: 2014-01-25
Itinerary: Grenadines
Wonderful experience, so different from the large cruise ships. Just magical.
The food was very good. There was plenty of it and there was afternoon tea and midnight snacks also. Fresh fruit, tea and coffee was always available to help yourself.
A little on the small side,

but very comfortable and there was enough storage hidden away. The shower only has a small lip on it, so if you are at sea the water tends to slosh around.
Mast climbing, knot tying, water sports were all available and you could steer the ship or help raise the sails. It was great, and very different.
I can't stop thinking about my wonderful holiday aboard the Royal Clipper in the Grenadines. I have traveled a lot, but this ranks as one of the best holidays ever. The ship is beautiful with its mahogany and brass, and the cabins are comfortable, if a little small, with enough storage for everything we took. The only thing I would advise is to shower when the ship is in port, otherwise water sloshes everywhere if you are at sea.
The entertainment was good...this is not like the entertainment on the big cruise ships, it is very much in-house with audience participation. A steel band came onboard one night and provided excellent entertainment. The resident singer and musician were very good, providing a range of music, and there was dancing every evening, (not always easy when the sea got a bit choppy). One night there was a quiz with a bottle of champagne as the prize. The talent show was great, with crew members showing us what they could do the highlight being the puppet show, which was hilarious, I haven't laughed so much in years.
I think I could sum it up as luxury with fun. The food was very good, I have no complaints. The waiters were lovely and so helpful, in fact all the crew were great. Steve, the hotel manager, and Tanje, the Cruise Director, were particularly accommodating to all our requests, and Prabhakar, the bosun, giving us a lesson on knot tying was lovely.
With only 188 passengers on board it was easy to get to know other people very quickly, and this added to the fun of the holiday.
The sail away from every port was always special. Standing on the bridge watching the sails unfurl and flap in the wind to the sound of Conquest of Paradise music was just magical. This cruise is about the beautiful ship as much as everything else.

Grenadines

Wonderful experience, so different from the large cruise ships. Just magical.
The food was very good. There was plenty of it and there was afternoon tea and midnight snacks also. Fresh fruit, tea and coffee was always available to help yourself.
A little on the small side, but very comfortable and there was enough storage hidden away. The shower only has a small lip on it, so if you are at sea the water tends to slosh around.

Mast climbing, knot tying, water sports were all available and you could steer the ship or help raise the sails. It was great, and very different.
I can't stop thinking about my wonderful holiday aboard the Royal Clipper in the Grenadines. I have traveled a lot, but this ranks as one of the best holidays ever. The ship is beautiful with its mahogany and brass, and the cabins are comfortable, if a little small, with enough storage for everything we took. The only thing I would advise is to shower when the ship is in port, otherwise water sloshes everywhere if you are at sea.
The entertainment was good...this is not like the entertainment on the big cruise ships, it is very much in-house with audience participation. A steel band came onboard one night and provided excellent entertainment. The resident singer and musician were very good, providing a range of music, and there was dancing every evening, (not always easy when the sea got a bit choppy). One night there was a quiz with a bottle of champagne as the prize. The talent show was great, with crew members showing us what they could do the highlight being the puppet show, which was hilarious, I haven't laughed so much in years.
I think I could sum it up as luxury with fun. The food was very good, I have no complaints. The waiters were lovely and so helpful, in fact all the crew were great. Steve, the hotel manager, and Tanje, the Cruise Director, were particularly accommodating to all our requests, and Prabhakar, the bosun, giving us a lesson on knot tying was lovely.
With only 188 passengers on board it was easy to get to know other people very quickly, and this added to the fun of the holiday.
The sail away from every port was always special. Standing on the bridge watching the sails unfurl and flap in the wind to the sound of Conquest of Paradise music was just magical. This cruise is about the beautiful ship as much as everything else.

Windward Islands

A proper Tall Ship, sail away was an experience every time. Cabins small but well appointed and super service all the way through. Royal Clipper can anchor where the big monsters cannot so definitely a plus. We do not have a family and do not think that kids would feel good on board, they would just be bored to tears. There were none and I would definitely not advise families to chose this ship. Food was way below expectations that was the only downside

really. Otherwise you just have to be aware that this ship - while the biggest sailing ship in the world - still is comparatively small. It MOVES all the time and if there are waves you will notice even though she really was remarkably stable. but sailing at night if you are not used to it caused some sleeplessness for me. Never mind it was worth the experience!
Not much sorry. This was definitely not the three star influenced cuisine that was promised and the BBQ on the beach - while a great idea was substandard with cold meat, inedible sausages etc.
Fine. Not big but we knew that it works and there are lots of drawers so nothing is lying around. Decor works with this type of ship
I do not care much for pirate evenings and fashion shows or talent nights but they made an effort and others enjoyed it. If you want razzmatazz and slot machines you are definitely on the wrong ship. It is all more family style which is good.
All excursions were really good but as usual very rushed. Never mind - visit the Botanical Gardens on Martinique, go hiking on Grenada and enjoy the volcano on St. Lucia - it all was worth it.
First time ever on such a small sailing vessel - loved it but will definitely bring seasickness plasters next time. Not that we were seasick - just to help with the motion and to stop worrying about getting seasick....And be aware that at Christmas time in the Caribbean there is something called the Christmas Winds...
But all the snorkeling and experience of small secluded islands which you do not get to with any of these floating hotels is worth the experience!!!

Windward Islands

A proper Tall Ship, sail away was an experience every time. Cabins small but well appointed and super service all the way through. Royal Clipper can anchor where the big monsters cannot so definitely a plus. We do not have a family and do not think that kids would feel good on board, they would just be bored to tears. There were none and I would definitely not advise families to chose this ship. Food was way below expectations that was the only downside

really. Otherwise you just have to be aware that this ship - while the biggest sailing ship in the world - still is comparatively small. It MOVES all the time and if there are waves you will notice even though she really was remarkably stable. but sailing at night if you are not used to it caused some sleeplessness for me. Never mind it was worth the experience!
Not much sorry. This was definitely not the three star influenced cuisine that was promised and the BBQ on the beach - while a great idea was substandard with cold meat, inedible sausages etc.
Fine. Not big but we knew that it works and there are lots of drawers so nothing is lying around. Decor works with this type of ship
I do not care much for pirate evenings and fashion shows or talent nights but they made an effort and others enjoyed it. If you want razzmatazz and slot machines you are definitely on the wrong ship. It is all more family style which is good.
All excursions were really good but as usual very rushed. Never mind - visit the Botanical Gardens on Martinique, go hiking on Grenada and enjoy the volcano on St. Lucia - it all was worth it.
First time ever on such a small sailing vessel - loved it but will definitely bring seasickness plasters next time. Not that we were seasick - just to help with the motion and to stop worrying about getting seasick....And be aware that at Christmas time in the Caribbean there is something called the Christmas Winds...
But all the snorkeling and experience of small secluded islands which you do not get to with any of these floating hotels is worth the experience!!!

Leeward Islands

Wow what a great vacation!
The Star Clipper Line's flagship the Royal Clipper is a real gem. As a sailor I had wanted to sail on this 5 masted full rigged ship for many year. We took the Royal Clipper the first week of April in 2012. We started in Barbados and hit all the Leeward Islands during the week.
The staff was great., our cabin was super, the food was first class and the experience was to remember for a lifetime. I can't wait to

go back on another cruise on the Star Clipper Line.
I would highly recommend any vacation on the Star Clipper's line.
As a sailor I really had a blast with all the 55,000 sq. ft. of sails. This boat really sails. On most of the trip we sailed and didn't motor. Even though the boat has twin 16 cylinder motors it was fun to see the crew actually sail the boat whenever possible. We found out that the boat actually sails faster than it motors when the wind is off the quarter. Climbing the mast, great excursions, small harbors and bays, all contribute to the unique experience on the Royal Clipper.
We loved the casual dining experience. No set tables, we made loads of friends and enjoyed a varied and well thought out menu each day.
Our class three stateroom was fine and what we expected on a sailing ship. Not huge but large enough for the two of us. The Class two staterooms are just slightly larger. All are well decorated, with wood paneling and marble bathrooms. Our A/C was very good and kept us cool every night.
Very low key. This is not a boat for kids and we didn't miss our grown ones either. The most exciting part of each day was departing a harbor, un-furling the sails and sailing off to our next destination. We got to climb the mast, go out on the bowsprit, take the helm and we also enjoyed the pools to cool off. Since there are only 200+ guests we got to know a bunch of really nice people from around the world.
Several of the excursions were fun, especially the Bar-B-Q set up on the beach. We also enjoyed taking part in a yacht race where the US slammed the German team! The van tour around St. Kitts was very interesting.

windward islands

The overall cruise was wonderful, just what my wife and I were looking for. We hated the idea of a mega ship with a gazillion people on board. The Royal Clipper was intimate and quiet. There was actually more deck space than on a large liner, with a lot fewer people to share it with.
The food was excellent and widely varied. Everything tasted so good that I wanted to try everything and soon learned to eat small amounts. The omelet

bar for breakfast was especially good, although the chef would also make a mean sauteed vegetable and fried egg platter.
The stateroom was tight but comfortable. Plenty of storage for just about everything. The bed was a bit on the hard side, a mattress over a solid platform. Be sure to bring a 220V plug and adapter. The bathroom and shower was fun, don't worry about water on the floor as there are drains both in and outside of the shower. The toilette is equipped with a seat belt (just kidding).
Onboard activities were on the spartan side and usually involved both passengers and crew. Mostly people just kicked back and relaxed. We did have a talent night and pirate night. Repeat passengers in the know were ready with pirate costumes. Would have liked some advance warning to really get into the swing, but did get to practice my ARRRGGG!
The sugar train in St. Kitts was an absolute hoot. Swimming with the stingrays was fun with the rays gathering around you like puppies looking for handouts. The island tour on Antigua was great, so many wonderful beaches, but wished that there was time to just stay and enjoy one.
Snorkling was OK, but really nothing to rave about, just too near 'civilization.' If you are really into diving I think that your vacation should be wrapped around that rather than cruising, even in the out-of-the-way places where the Star Clippers go.
The island excursion on Martinique turned out to be a disaster, four hours without a restroom stop was hard on the older people and the driver must have thought he was on the grand prix. Possibly just too much ground to cover in too little time.
Sailing on the Royal Clipper was like stepping back in time a hundred years (but with air conditioning and ice). The ship abounds with polished wood and brass and is kept spotless. There is a library, observation lounges, and endless nooks and cubbies to kick back in and either talk to people are just be by yourself.
Be aware though, this IS a sailing ship and it MOVES. However, most people got used to it and after a week on board it actually felt a bit strange to get back on solid land. Incidentally, in your cabin you will find a chart that names all of the many sails that the Royal clipper carries. There will be a test.
That being said I think that the people who would be interested in this type of cruise preselects them for being experienced and interesting people. Our fellow passengers were widely traveled and we learned of many interesting places to go and things to do around the world. The Royal Clipper accommodates 225 passengers and we had 194, representing some 15 nationalities. The passengers were mostly seniors but we also had children and a large group of university students as well. Everyone got along well and by the week's end it seemed to be like a big, extended family.
Service on the Royal Clipper is beyond belief. Everything is spotless and neat. Your cabins are cleaned at least twice a day, while you are at breakfast, and again while at dinner. The crew is cheerful, friendly, and just cannot help you enough.
Meals were outstanding with cuisine that catered to many nationalities. It was fun to try new dishes and the soups in particular were great. Dinners, although casual, tended to run at least an hour and a half and were serenaded by the pianist on the baby grand. While the stewart will generally sit you at a table with others who speak the same language but anything is possible. Regardless, conversation throughout the dinner is great and the next thing you know you're finishing the dessert course and it is time to leave.
If the wind is good the Clipper will run on sails alone. The feel of a large ship under sail is something that must be experienced. The motion can be rhythmic and quiet. My favorite time was to get up early, grab a cup of coffee and watch the sun come up.
The Clipper ships do not pull in to where the big liners go, and only on Martinique did we even tie up to a pier. All other places we used the ship's small boats to go ashore. This was both good and bad as these places were just not geared up for tourists so were more native and less crowded but had fewer shopping opportunities. The shore excursions themselves were a bit hit-and-miss, some good and some not so good. Tours that were available were maybe not quite so polished as the big ports. Would you believe that some people come on the Star Clipper cruises and never go ashore at all?
All-in-all would I go on another Star Clipper cruise? Oh, yes.

Windward Islands

We simply could not have imagined a better honeymoon. Take this trip!!!
Every day there was something new and delicious to eat.My was is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, and she was thrilled at the menu and preparation. The best part is not what you're eating, but where you're eating it (the movement of the ship reminds you every moment that you are on a true sailing vessel) and who you're eating it with (our dinner compains each night were fantastic-

they had lived such adventurous lives and were as turned off by the big lumbering cruise ships as we were). One day we had a full grilled lunch on the beach Antigua, another day we ate on the deck. Always amazing food.
Very nice - almost exactly as big as the one on the Sea Princess. Our porthole was about 2 to 4 feet from the water, depending on the list of the ship, and often went underwater while under sail.
Very fun. What the ship lacks in water slides and mega-pool, it makes up for in crows nests and sailing accoutrement.
We kind of wished we'd have spent each day on ship or going ashore on the tender boat. The excursions we paid for were lackluster - with the possible exception of swimming with stingrays in Antigua.
Having spent the previous four months planning our honeymoon and dreaming about it every minute of every day, I was sure that the SPV Royal Clipper could not live up to my very high expectations. Three days later I still have a high (as well as sea legs!) We spent our final night in the Executive Suite at the Barbados Hilton, and all we did was wish we were still on the ship. (P.S.The Hilton is very nice, though. I do recommend them as well.)
Before I left, I had some concerns, so I'll address them as I imagine many of you reading this are in a similar age group or circumstance:
Average age: Since my wife and I are 25 and 31 years old, we feared getting on a ship where the average age is (at least) 65. Truth be told, it was the best thing we could have done. There were several young couples on the ship and we formed close bonds, but we also found that we very much enjoyed hanging out with the older couples. They had much more in the way of interesting life stories, and all of them had very healthy marriages and very positive outlooks on marriage. You don't notice how down most people are on marriage until you're around people who treasure their own. It was very encouraging. These people are also not your standard cruisers. Each were adventure travelers and had no interest in being trough-fed on a huge floating Las Vegas.
Eating with others: See above. We LOVED sitting with our new friends that were our age, but hearing about the adventures of our older counterparts and getting good solid advice from people who have made marriages work left us dreaming about what stories we'd have to tell when we reached retirement.Not to mention - older people like to buy younger people drinks.
Sea sickness: On a scale from 1 to 10, I'd say most people at some point reached at least a 3, a few people got to a 5 or 6, and some people were full-blown 10s. HOWEVER, I would bet a lot of money that even the people who got the most sick would not even mention it in the conversation when asked about the cruise. It just wasn't a big deal at all. Make sure to bring some over the counter seasickness pills (NOT the prescription kind, which are gel bandages you put on your neck. They fall of when swimming.)
Drinking/Nightlife: About 30% of the people on board are Brits, and we made quick friends as we defended our countries' honor by trying to hang with them. (We did.) You won't have any 3:00 AM parties, but I'd say there are at least 15 people out in the Tropical Bar until after midnight.
Shopping: There weren't as many opportunities to shop as my wife would have liked. Most of the time we anchored off of a remote shore - most of the good shopping in located near major ports.
Adventure/activities: Adventure is built into the ship. You can't help but feel like Jack Sparrow when the sails are up. Beach activities were great. Most people just laid there sunbathing, but many others went exploring (very remote beaches) or snorkeling either by themselves or with the resident Marine Biologist, Mariano. That was great because even an ordinary day of snorkeling was fascinating when he explained the details of seemingly trivial ocean creatures. Snorkeling on most days was fantastic, though!
There were many other wonderful features of the honeymoon on-board the Royal Clipper in the Windward Islands, but I can't write about them all. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Eastern Mediterranean

We had a wonderful cruise experience on the Royal Clipper.
The food could have been better.
Our stateroom was well located, clean and comfortable. #230
Minimal onboard activities
See my trip report.
REVIEW â€“ MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE ABOARD THE ROYAL CLIPPER
ROME TO VENICE
A Little Information about Star Clippers
Let me say right from the start that I am a big fan of the Star Clippers sailing experience. This cruise is our

Meditterenean

The is the best cruise that I have been on so far. Don't understand some of the negative reviews I just read but as always no one is ever happy. The ship is beautiful and clean. The entire crew was very friendly and personable. Many came to me and introduced themselves and during the cruise when the spoke to me they always approached me by name. I traveled alone this time and did not feel left out ever. The entire experience was amazing. Everything

was well organized. Yeah there is not much entertainment but the little that they provided was enough especially on talent show night. After cruising on big cruise lines this is way better less people and more intimate. I will never go back to big cruise ships ever. My second time on this cruise line. Did the Thailand cruise in November of 2009 and that was amazing also. I do prefer the Royal Clipper because it is bigger. I just arrived this weekend and I am already planning my next cruise which will be in a couple of months on Royal Clipper again.
The food was very good. For breakfast there was a lunch buffet and you can order eggs any way you like. Plenty of fruits, cereal, cheese, breads, bacon, ham, potatoes, etc. Lunch was my favorite. Plenty of choices always had fish, salads, chicken, beef, soups, rice and more. The deserts for lunch was the best. A huge table with 5 or more options. Dinner was excellent a la carte. Everything from lamb chops, pork, fish, chicken and vegetarian dishes. The waiters and bartenders are very friendly and accommodating. For desert you have the option of cheese and fruit or cakes and ice cream. There is a snack that is served during the afternoon by the tropical bar. Plenty of live music that is called piano melodies with Tanya.
My room was clean and comfortable. The bathroom was marble. The first day I arrived my cabin steward introduced him self to me.Sometimes during the cruise I would forget to take the do not disturb sign off my door and when i would see my cabin steward in the hallway he would ask me If he could clean my room today and If I say not its fine he would offer me clean towels.
If you are looking for on board activities then don't bother. I myself when I travel on a cruise my main priority is getting to my port daily to explore, having good food and relaxing in between that. Everyday there is a schedule that included many things to do during the day anything from engine room visits, Captains sory time, mast climbing, marine biology corner, after dinner music. Every night they have different shows planned such as Saturday night fever, Mr and Mrs Royal Clipper, Talent show (my favorite). The day we were in Greece they brought on board Locals that did music and dance and that was fun. They also had frog races and afterward dancing under the stars where live music was played.
I did one excursion my first day and honestly I don't think it was worth what I payed. So after I never booked any excursions anymore. I enjoyed daily stopping in different islands and walking around and sigh seeing and shopping.
I loved it and I will return. It seems like it a cruise for older crowds but I am 38 and I enjoyed it myself. I made the best of it and I will return.

Winward Islands

Beautiful ship, accommodating staff, extremely small cabins, horrendous food, all activities a la carte.
Horrible
Very small
There are no on-board activities except a crab race and karaoke in the Tropical Bar.
Excursions all cost extra and were worthless. You are better off hiring your own taxi/guide to see each island.
A huge disappointment! The Royal Clipper is a beautiful ship - that is all. There is nothing special about this cruise

experience. If you enjoy cruising, save your money and book yourself on one of the larger cruise lines.

Windward Islasnds

Our expectations were high as we left our comfortable Barbados hotel after four nights to join the Royal Clipper. We should have stayed in Barbados. Something seemed odd that we could only board a ship which had docked at 7am after 4pm, but of course that relieved the cruise line of serving lunch. We then had to fill out a health form and have our temperature taken, a perfectly reasonable request. What was not reasonable was another paper we had to

sign, limiting the liability of the cruise line and making passengers agree that if they were going to sue Star Clippers, the suit would be filed only in Monaco. Now that was kind of strange. I signed. They would not have let me board if I didn't. But there is a family, I am sure, who wishes they had not.
My wife is partially disabled. She can walk slowly but long distances are difficult for her. We asked for a wheelchair for boarding. None was available. When we boarded, we found that there was no elevator. This was never mentioned. We were in for a week of enforced climbing of 4 flights of stairs, many of which led to narrow and difficult doors. This ship is completely unsuitable for disabled people. We could barely manage. Those more disabled than we would have had to have been left on the shore. With no refund, I am sure, although there is certainly nothing in any large print in their literature which indicates this. But I guess you were supposed to scrutinize the deck plan to find this out.
Let's say this at the beginning: The ship is beautiful, the interior spaces are lovely, and the service crew (waiters, cabin stewards and deckhands) are friendly, efficient and personable. The Cruise Director was not to my liking and the Hotel Director turned out to be a baloney artist. The Captain seemed nice, but his Ukrainian accent prevented all but the most basic communication.
The sailing bit is almost a gimmick. The sails are raised with great pomp and piped in music from "The Hunt for Red October. Then, as soon as everyone is at dinner or in bed, the sails are furled and the ship proceeds under power. It is too bad, the experience of proceeding on a large ship under sail is truly delightful. You get it about 25% of the time.
The food is no better and no worse than many cruise ships Mostly frozen ingredients dressed up in fancily named sauces. You would think that sailing in some of the most fertile fishing waters and tropical fruit growing areas that they would make some effort to add fresh food. You would think that with Royal Caribbean and Holland America as well.
After looking at the cabin we had initially booked, which was too small for two people to exhale simultaneously, I asked to upgrade. The balcony cabin they showed me was very nice, if a bit small for a premium cabin. The wanted an extra $3000 for it and would not negotiate. But after thinking about a week in the first cabin, I sucked it up and paid. This brought the price of the cruise to over $5000. Not worth it for this ship. The ship practically demands, and reminds you at least 4 times, a gratuity of 112 euros per cabin. They insist that this be added to the bill or given in cash to the purser, not directly to the cabin steward or waiters. Why? All charges, by the way, are in euros, yet they are about the same as the dollar charges on other ships. A cute way of adding a 40% premium to everything.
There were no on-board activities. Unless you count a crab race.
The ship offers snorkeling equipment to the passengers. The equipment is old, dirty and disgusting it belongs at the Salvation Army. So do the books in the beautiful library. They didn't bother to go to the Salvation Army for these. They are just the left behinds from past passengers
The real problem was the port policy. It was designed to save the cruise line many dollars. It cost a life.
St Lucia:
The ship dropped off passengers who had purchased shore excursions from the ship at the main port by tender. Then the ship repositioned to allow remaining passengers to tender either to a beach or a "National Park". The park was an steep hike to an old fort. The beach was sand and water. No chairs, no facilities, no security in a remote area.
Dominica:
I took this cruise especially because I wanted to visit Dominica. I was not not told that if I didn't purchase a shore excursion from the ship, I would see none of it. Once again, the ship tendered excursion passengers to Rousseau, the main port, then repositioned to a dirty, isolated and remote beach with no facilities, no chairs, no security and accompanied by two disinterested "water sports" attended who had eyes only for each other. No chance to see Dominica. No feeling that the ship cared about anybody's security or enjoyment.
Antigua:
Here is where it hit the fan. The ship planned a barbecue on the beach. Once again, a beach with no tables or chairs, no security, no facilities for bathrooms or changing. Behind the beach a wooded area with a path which ship's personnel told us led to a marina, the other tender drop spot. They suggested that passengers use the path. I did not like the idea of taking the path, so after standing up to eat my lousy hot dog and frozen corn, my wife and I tendered back to the ship for a nap before going to the marina. The ship was anchored until midnight, so I thought perhaps we would go ashore for dinner. One look at this remote but unsavory area convinced me that this was no place to be. We walked around for a few minutes, then tendered back.
On board was a wedding party of about 30. They had held a lovely ceremony on deck on Sunday. They were from the San Francisco area. The morning after the Antigua stop, rumors were flying around the ship. A passenger had been murdered ashore. It was the sister of the bride. A note from the Antigua police was in our cabins, talking about the investigation of a homicide, describing a suspect and asking all passengers to review their photos of the barbecue to see if the suspect was in them.
The ship addressed none of this until about 7pm. Then a brief announcement was read by the Cruise Director: "An unfortunate disembarkation has occurred by a family who had a missing family member." Other than repeating the call for photos, that was the entire response of the ship to the murder. I cornered the Hotel Director and asked him about it. He insisted that the ship had no culpability, that the murder had occurred far from the beach. It had occurred, and the girl was found with her throat slit, right near the path that they had suggested passengers use.
St Kitts:
We took a shore excursion around the island. It was interesting and fun. However, again the ship dropped off excursion passengers at Basses-Terre (where a Princess ship was docked. If they could get in, we certainly could have gotten in.) The excursion returned us to, you guessed it, another dirty little beach. This one had a shed where beer was served about a 100 yard down the beach from where the tender beached. No water or juice, no changing facilities. The bar probably would have let you use the bathroom. Since we did not learn officially of the murder until after we left this port, I think the cruise line was particularly negligent in not providing even a warning to passengers.
Another couple, at dinner, told us they had taken a Jeep excursion on the island, and that the drivers had been drinking rum and coke. Could the cruise line have had a little more diligence in their selection of excursion suppliers.
Isle des Saintes:
We visited Isle des Saintes, a part of the French department of Guadeloupe. It was a lovely little village with nice shops and re4staurants. No other cruise ship stops there. It was the gem of the voyage.
Martinique
One of the most beautiful and interesting islands in the Caribbean. The ship actually docked there and we had time for a brief cab ride. We were there less than 4 hours./
Aside from the fact that a passenger was murdered, at least partially due to the negligence of the cruise line, how did we like the cruise.? We didn't. We hope this cruise line goes out of business quickly. Be warned and be aware that this ship is only for those who know and like what they are getting into, no elevator, no activities,no security, high prices, and no actual visits to the islands it stops at. If that's what you want, go for it. Otherwise, stay away.

Windward Islands

Our March 2009 Caribbean cruise on the SPV ROYAL CLIPPER was a delightful experience that exceeded our expectations. The ship is beautiful, the crew extremely friendly, professional, and helpful, and our fellow passengers were great and interesting cruise companions. We had the good fortune of fair weather with plenty of sun and only the briefest of rain, and, considering the sailing nature of this ship, we had plenty of wind all week to make our

way under sail.
Our previous cruising experience is limited. We spent a week aboard the NORWAY (formerly the SS FRANCE) in the eastern Caribbean in 2002.
The food on the ROYAL CLIPPER was excellent, served in elegant fashion, and in great variety. There was a bit of a European style to the cooking and some of the dishes. Breakfast and Lunch are buffets. Dinner is a grand meal, often stretching to almost ten o'clock at night. The main dining room is wonderful, filled with mahogany and brass, very nautical, with large port holes just above the waterline which are often filled with white foam from waves as you enjoy dinner under sail.
The dinner menu offered fish, meat, and vegetarian choices each night. Wine can be bought by the bottle, and if you don't finish the bottle, you can have it stored and brought out the next night. The waitstaff is very congenial. Don't expect to eat and run.
With our permission the Maitre d'Hotel seated us each evening at a different table with an interesting variety of dinner companions. He seemed to have a knack for mixing up congenial groups at each table. For the reclusive, there were a few tables for two available. Most people dined in parties of four, six, or eight.
Our cabin on the ROYAL CLIPPER was large, comfortable, and beautifully appointed. We booked one of the better cabins on the ship, but discovered that other than a bit more room and the luxury of a tub with a jacuzzi, there really was not much difference between our cabin and the least expensive ones. They are all quite elegant.
We were in Cabin 316, an aft cabin on the main deck, somewhat removed from most of the accommodations. We could walk out our cabin door directly to the open deck and railings. Most of the time there were no other passengers in our deck area, so it was almost like being aboard a private yacht. Although we were near the Tropical Bar area, the sounds of its music or other activities were never intrusive. Being near the stern there was a bit more vertical motion from the ship. Cabins located amidships and lower will have less movement.
Being a smaller ship, there are not a great deal of on-board activities on the ROYAL CLIPPER--no ice skating, bowling, or rock climbing--which is fine for us. Each evening around ten o'clock the Tropical Bar (on-deck but under canvas) hosts some entertainment or dancing. Passengers have free run of the ship and its decks. You can climb 60-feet to the first crow's nest on the main mast under supervision of the crew, or you can scramble out on the bow sprit's netting whenever you feel like it. The Chief Engineer gives a tour of the engine room.
There are water sport activities each day, and you can go to the beach to swim, snorkel, sail small boats, or kayak for no additional charge. There are also diving activities almost daily, but at added cost. The snorkeling was conducted by a marine biologist, and it was every informative and pleasant. The marine biologist also presented one or two lectures during the cruise.
The principal on-board daily activity is the sail-away each evening. This usually brings all passengers on deck to watch the sails being hoisted and set, done to the accompaniment of music by Vagelis, "CONQUEST OF PARADISE" (from the sound track of the movie 1492). This literally puts a tear into everyone's eye as it is a very moving experience. The process of hauling the anchor, raising the sails, and gently gliding under sail from the many cozy anchorages we visited was universally enjoyed by all passengers. The Captain is an excellent ship handler and often sailed us into or out of crowded harbor without resorting to any assistance from the engine or bow thrusters.
Every day the ROYAL CLIPPER visits a new port and there typically are multiple shore activities available. We only went on one excursion, snorkeling at Dominica, which was billed as being some of the best available in the Caribbean. The snorkeling was good, but the overall excursion was not quite what we expected. It was too long, included a luncheon, and too much bus riding. We were very glad to get back to the ship.
The most impressive element of the trip was the ship itself and the amount of time it spent under sail. The captain truly likes to sail, and the SPV ROYAL CLIPPER moves from port to port under sail power as much as possible. As a result, there is more motion to the ship than might be comfortable for some cruisers accustomed to very large and very stable ships. My wife and I are both experienced sailers and have spent a lot of time underway on moderately sized boats. For a 430-foot ship, the SPV ROYAL CLIPPER surprised me with how nimble it was. It has a rather quick roll period, must faster than I expected for a big sailing ship.
We embarked at Barbados, which is quite separate from the other islands. You have at least 125-miles of open water sailing to the closest island, and the trip from and to Barbados generally brings higher seas than any other portion of the cruise. On our week the winds were unusually strong. We left Barbados on Saturday evening with a 25-knot wind on our starboard bow. Once we cleared the lee of Barbados and were in open seas, there was considerable motion on the ship. The captain had the cabin stewards deploy the lee boards on all berths as a precaution. With large seas and the wind well forward, the ship was put under motor propulsion, although several stay sails were up for steadying. Quite a few passengers did not fare well on this first night at sea, including me. I used to be able to say I had never been sea sick, but I can no longer make that claim. I would recommend taking Dramamine or similar anti-motion sickness medication for this first night unless you are truly immune to sea sickness.
Compared to the rough first night, we sailed comfortably after that, and with our sea legs regained, we never had any problem with sleeping or discomfort again. The run back to Barbados was again in rougher seas, but the wind was just far enough aft we could sail all the way. In general, sailing gives a more pleasant motion to the ship, in my opinion, and although we were rolling down the seas, the last night was not a problem.
The ship is a thing of beauty and it is maintained in tip-top condition. If you arise early you will see the crew washing down the teak deck every morning, wiping down all the varnish and brightwork, and polishing the brass. They even re-paint the huge anchors several times during the trip so that they look perfect. While you are ashore during the day, the crew goes over the side and touches up any little blemish on the hull. The mast and rigging all appear to be in perfect order, and the sails themselves are mainly new and without stains or patches.
Even when you are ashore, your gaze will be drawn back to the ship as it rides at anchor in the harbor. It dominates every setting and attracts attention wherever it goes. It is beautiful.
The other passengers were an interesting mix of Americans, Canadians, Europeans, and South Americans. On our trip there was a large German contingent, so all announcements were conducted in English and repeated in German. The several French speaking passengers were comfortable with English, so we avoided a third language in the public announcements. Menus and other ship information are printed in English, German, and French. Americans were probably about 40-percent of the passengers. The rest were mainly European, with a few Canadians and South Americans in the mix.
The crew is composed of men and women from many countries. The Captain, Chief Engineer, and one of the senior Officers were Russian, which is probably due to the necessity of having proper licenses and ratings for a very large sailing ship. Russia had or has a fleet of large sailing ships, so there are more officers qualified on large sailing ships from Russia than anywhere else these days. Every one of the ship's crew with whom we came in contact was very pleasant and friendly, and we never lacked for service or assistance.
Our weather was wonderful, with sunny skies and warm temperatures, made even more comfortable by a constant sea breeze. The many shades of blue of the Caribbean Sea sparkled at us day and night. We enjoyed several sun sets from the aft deck, including a rare Green Flash sunset one delightful evening while at sea.
The rhythm of the cruise puts you into a new port each day, generally arriving in the late morning. The ship sets anchor, and tenders are deployed. You can go ashore to explore, swim from the beach, or just remain onboard and enjoy the expansive deck. The last gangway is typically in the late afternoon. The anchor is then hauled and the ship sails away. After sunset, everyone retires to their cabin to prepare for dinner. After dinner the ship sails into the night to the next port. Repeat this six times. A delightful week of cruising.
We were told that Star Clippers has a very high repeat business rate, and I am not surprised. After this trip we are very likely to cruise with Star Clippers again. Most of the people we met aboard were veteran Star Clipper cruisers and were on their second, third, fourth or even tenth trip with the line. Most other passengers had more cruising experience than us, and they expressed a strong preference for the Star Clipper style of ship and cruise. Only a few other passengers seemed, like us, to be on their first Star Clipper cruise.

Southern Caribbean

Summary:
Big sailing ship - not a hotel. With all the trimmings of a cruise without the annoyances. Biggest
sailing cruise ship in the world - certainly bigger than any plying the Caribbean waters or the Med.
A visual feast with five very tall masts, more sails than you can ever name - and almost always
under sail.
High quality appointments, cabin fixtures, and materials throughout.
Very pleasant crew, enough food - well prepared

- to keep us alive and happy. Rides the waves like a
sailing ship - not bumpy, not flat, not boring. You're here to sail but not to fear for your life.
Ship Data:
You can get the exact details from a travel agent, the company, website
Compare it to other sailing ships or steel cruise ships: 429 feet long,
masts almost 200 feet high, 54 foot beam (width), 56,000 square feet of sail (a typical cabin on a
cruise ship has 140 square feet floor area.) Includes 26 square sails, 12 staysails, three jibs, a
spanker (?) and wires/ropes/stuff that look like a movie set.
5061 tons (GR- which I think means displacement, not weight)
20 knots top speed at sail (that's very fast over 4-6 foot swells -
feels great!)
Uses two motor launches (lifeboats) @ 150 pax each.
This ship has stairs (lots of them), no working elevator, three wetting
pools (hardly for swimming), more open deck space than 5 cruise ships, lounge chairs enough for two
Shriners' conventions, and a nice quiet "public" rooms and areas to hide with a dirty
novel. The cabins - even the basic ones - are very well appointed, attractive, and roomy.
The whole place feels pretty upscale but you don't find yourself wishing
you brought your tux or tiara.
Who's Who:
Pax capacity is 228 . We carried less to make space for engineers from the shipyard finishing some
little shake-down items. The ship is fairly new (July, 2000) and mechanical tweaking of A/C and
electrical was ongoing.
The passenger mix was US, UK, Germany, Canada, and others - in
proportions probably 50/20/20/10 (%). All adults - save one perfect 8-year old. Southern Caribbean (r/t ex Barbados) We are spoiled from many trips to the "perfect weather and
the beauty" of the nations of the Caribbean. But we liked most of the ports chosen.
Fortunately, sailing was often during the day not just at night. The distances covered were a
moderate haul - we could have gone further easily except on those days sailing against the wind
where distance vs time is pretty low.
At most ports, we parked offshore and used the tenders to land. It works
very well and seems no concern if you've got both legs and reasonable function. The marketing lingo
of Star Clipper leads one to expect unique landing or beach parking sites. This ship is too large to
sneak into some swimming holes. But it certainly comes near shores easily.
Although Windstar and other "sailing lines "ply these waters,
it was clear in most ports that the size and unique qualities of the Royal Clipper earned admiring
gazes of many folks on shore. That certainly added to our enthusiasm as we came ashore - until we
realized we left our VISA card and Lomotil on board.
(None of these islands made a scene about immigration/customs, etc.,
except Antigua, which sent aboard about nine goons to "clear the ship". For those of you
who haven't read about Antigua, it is the domain of a family who has "governed" without
interruption or serious opposition since Columbus came thru. The island is hospitable and
predictable - but you can understand that certain folks are employed in jobs that may not have
measurable impact on the community, if you get my drift.)
The Crew:
A wonderful mixture of nationalities of very pleasant men and woman who are relaxed, polite, and
obviously satisfied to work on this vessel. Many eastern European men are in the deck crew.
Officers were not easy to place by source - except Captain Ulrich
Pruesse, who was born in Hamburg and "lives" in Newport, R.I. He's sailed since 1954,
joining Star Clippers in 1991. He is animated, outspoken, smart as a whip, boisterous, charming, and
a joy to watch. He likewise loved an audience and loved his ship. For most, his positive energy was
contagious. To some, he was overbearing. But he spent most his time on the bridge (which is always
open to visitors.)
If you like to watch and listen to a pro drive this monster, you could
linger and enjoy. If not, you have 50 acres inside and out to do otherwise.
The Cabins:
They're great! They are not Seabourn - and they're not Carnival. They're clean, well decorated,
comfy, and have adequate space. Lots of wood (ersatz) and classical-looking materials. Marble (real)
in the bathroom. Storage adequate, not great. Doors solid, quiet. Rooms sound proof - except in some
when the anchors come and go, or the power grinders help with the sail lines. (Well, it is a sailing
ship, not a Hyatt.) Carpeting galore. Nice nautical colors and patterns. No neon. No
"art".
TV ran text news - sometimes. Movies played in English, French, German -
at odd times. (Brad Pitt as a British Royal speaking French is enough to make you get back up top to
watch the sails.)
Public rooms:
Nice variety - exterior very free form, interiors like large living rooms. A comfy library with a
faux fireplace (very odd.)
A forward room called the Observation Lounge that few people use -
requires great strength to open the two horrendous wooden doors. Contains a few computers
(apparently broken) for Internet use (big deal.) Also holds pre-port talks for those who want to
know which straw hat vendor to use. This room seems to transfer the maximum effect of the ship's
pitching and rolling - I loved it but one would not do brain surgery in this room. We attended one
talk - my wife inelegantly tipped as she landed on her chosen chair, knocking over the person
adjacent, who did the same to his neighbor, who tipped the next, etc. Like the dominos chain.
It may explain its empty aspect all week.
Downstairs, somewhat up front, you can descend to Nemo's Lounge. But
it's not a lounge as was planned. Now it's the "gym" and a beauty salon. Imagine, a
sailing ship with those silly face treatments and expensive goo to save your youth. There's a steam
room, I'm told. And wall hanging pictures of half-naked models with perfect skin that suggests the
results of your $400 seaweed and mud pack face wrap with toe massage. I can't believe this goes on a
ship like this - but now you know.
We also found exercise machines, including some treadmills and a few
stainless steel devices from the Inquisition. I was able to contain my exuberance.
There were, as advertised, three or four underwater portholes ! A great
idea. Except in day you can't see much. At night you'd need outside lights, which are installed -
but nobody knows how to turn 'em on. Oh well, nice thought..
We can not always believe those marketing brochures.
Upstairs (above the water line) is a very nice and quiet inside room
which is really just a large space with couches, chairs, coffee machines, a bar (never opened) and a
piano (seldom played.) It surrounds the "atrium" - another touch from the "big iron
ships" that has debatable aesthetic value.
The dining room is the lower level of the "atrium" - the piano
bar above being the top. The dining room (which is not named after anyone or anything) is wonderful
and skillfully plotted to handle everyone at any time. The galley (and dishes, serving stations)
seem to be miles away - so it's quiet, odorless, and sometimes a little wait for the groceries. The
tables, chairs, portholes, and decorations are very nice.
A bar and covered deck area (where we embark and disembark) were
nautical and nice. Passengers loved the antics of two green parrots who joined the trip and wandered
on foot out of their cage, hoping to find somebody to bite. They were beautiful, funny, bright, and
completely unmanageable. The story is the line owner acquired them to train and later found out they
were five years old and meaner than Ross Perot.
The top deck is the best - huge, all areas open. Features big things
which help the ship sail - like masts, lines, machines, gadgets, chains, and a sewing machine
(usually stowed) that could stitch up the Grand Canyon. All teak-like decking, abundant benches and
things to sit on or lean against or lie on. Visibility from the deck is 360 degrees with no air
conditioning boxes or cranes blocking your view or your movement.
The pools are wet - one has a glass bottom. To say more would be
hyperbole. I never saw anyone go in any pool - except me. I like to float in water that's floating
on a ship that's floating in sea. It's comfy - if you like salt water.
There's lots of room to stand or sit by the bridge area - there's great
high platform to stand like an Admiral and study the horizon. Looking back over the deck, even the
slightest roll of the ship is magnified by the 200 foot masts - this thing is an engineering marvel
that must be seen to appreciated. We heard it cost $65 million to float it - that may be low.
Forward (in front of) the bridge area is more deck space - open for
business. And beyond that (even more forward) is some tight netting that hangs out over the water
under the bowsprit. (That's the stick thing that points ahead of the ship.) You can get out on this
net - there's room for a brigade - and ride (dry) above the waves just ahead of the ship as it cuts
thru the surf. It's very safe but may require acclamation by the sissies among you.
Food:
There's a lot of it. The variety at breakfast and lunch buffet each day is amazing. You won't
starve - and only Martha Stewart would grumble that the snails were not perfect. (There were no
snails but you could have anchovies as big as a pencil on your salad - exciting, yes?)
Breakfasts had all the normal crunchy stuff plus oatmeal (never saw it
eaten.) A nice chef with stove top cooked eggs any way/any time/any amount you like. There were a
million others thing but my God, it's breakfast - relax a little.
Lunches had lots of greens, lots of cheeses, lots of noodle things, lots
of fruits, lots of desserts. And many hot dishes, meats, and leftovers. Just like home. The buffets
at lunch and breakfast were a visual success per my wife who looks at food while I prefer to eat it.
Dinners were very nice - usually the a la carte menu items were good
quality or better. Not always. The menu was not four pages like on Cunard. If you want quail's nest
soup, bring it from home. Desserts and other things you don't do at home were very abundant and
satisfying. I adored the tapioca - apparently without consensus from anyone else.
Noticeably and thankfully absent are idiot ship photographers, the
useless maitre-'d, and the sommelier pushing outrageously priced Gallo slush. There is a wine
"specialist" - but no pressure.
This ship doesn't do saturation bombing with 50 pound lobsters and
caviar. But the fish, fowl (a huge duck was seen) and meat (lamb was offered, thank God) items were
usually fresh and of good quality, well prepared. The veggies were terrific and all the other things
you need were good. Fresh pineapple and fruits that come from every island with sunshine - nobody
could guess mangoes from plantains.
The service was sometimes a little slow - many passengers agreed the
staff was light in number and showed inexperience. Nobody starved or withered away - but we expected
a little crisper level of table service. Sometimes getting coffee, tea, cream and sugar, or more
water became a chore. I think this ship is a little fancier then other Clippers and also full of new
staff.
The line is still working out the operational bugs. (For example, our
cabin's mechanical troubles took 3 days to be fixed - I had to aggressively stay on the management
to get the help.)
Sports
The ship has a platform off the back (the stern) that lowers into the water. The ship comes apart -
and a float platform, with room for 40, becomes a dock in the water (when the ship is parked, thank
you.) You can swim off that - I did. They launch some scuba and snorkel adventures off that. You can
grab a little sailboat and embarrass yourself in front of other passengers. Or you can kayak - which
looks less comfy than sitting in dentist's chair.
In most ports, there are easy ways to get to "the beach" -
sometimes right off the platform. You can borrow (for free) all the snorkel and scuba gear you need.
It's well organized.
Shops
The a desk where the purser lives has get toothpaste, lighters, and any combination of hats and
shirts with the ship's logo. No emeralds, no booze, no art, no
nonsense, no discounts. Little Switzerland is not represented - how sad.
Tours
Couldn't comment. We didn't take them. Seemed moderate and well-planned. Tour director was
professional and thoughtful - not a shill for the line's treasury.
Major pros:
Ship is stunning and sea-worthy - and truly sails (by hand, not computer.)
Plenty of space, beautiful fixtures and decorating. Well planned.
Passenger count and socialization, if desired, is very satisfying.
"Intimate" is not the perfect word, but the idea works.
Major cons:
None. But you must know difference between sailing this ship and floating on a cruise ship. This
ship sails. Some may wish they were back in the Waldorf.
Compares To no ship at sea
- it surpasses other "sailing" cruise ships that are upscale because those ships are silly
engineering games with metallic sails or sails that are moved by computers. The Royal's sails, while
lowered and raised with power aids, are set and "trimmed" by the Captain and his crew for
maximum efficiency. And in size and material, this is closest to what were true sailing ships of the
19th century - the way people and goods moved between the hemispheres.
From the pricing and outfitting, you will expect to see folks who might
otherwise ride Princess or HAL ships. This is not the Carnival crowd - no, we ain't got fun, fun,
fun.
This is a cerebral crowd, usually sober, bored with slot machines, and
thankfully past the stage of wearing baseball caps (backwards), tank top shirts, or nose rings.
References: Ocean Navigator, Nov/Dec.2000, Issue # 110, Navigator Publ,
Portland, ME

Western Mediterranean

Let me congratulate Star Clippers for this new sailing ship. Its
beauty is absolutely beyond any comparison. Everywhere we went on our seven days cruise there were
people looking at the ship with envious eyes.
I booked this particular cruise first of all because of the
itinerary, secondly because on our route there were several places that seemed to be beautiful and
remote and finally because of being in a true sailing ship.

However let me tell you that sails are more for cosmetic purposes
rather than for sailing. Sails would be lowered whenever we were leaving our ports of call, so that
we could do it majestically and in grand style. Just as soon as land was out of sight we would
proceed with engine power. On the third day of our cruise we really sailed through an entire
afternoon but our speed was so modest – slightly above 5 Knots – it would have been impossible
to get to the next leg of our journey in time. I have to admit the weather during our cruise was
always excellent and that captain Lickfett always got us to the different ports of call within the
timetable that had been previously established.
On the second day of our cruise, well before the 24 hours
required, all passengers attended the life boat drill, after what the captain gave his welcome
speech. He invited the few children on board to seat around him on the floor and began to speak in a
calm voice inspiring know-how and extreme confidence often ornamenting his speech with jokes. All of
a sudden and with no interruption in the flow of his words, his voice had begun to sound strange and
unintelligible. A disturbing and continuous stream of blurting sounds was by then coming out of his
mouth. Astonishment and perplexity assaulted my mind. I began to feel restless for the man we had in
command. The sudden laughs of a group of German passengers by my side made me realize captain
Lickfett had switched languages. He was speaking his own to ‘the large number of passengers from
Bavaria’ as he would say frequently. He preceded with his short speech switching constantly and
imperceptibly from English to German and back to English, saying that there were 15 different
nationalities of passengers on our particular cruise and that the bridge was opened to anyone
wanting to know more about sailing. Understandably during docking and undocking he would invite
people to clear the bridge with subtlety. I still here him with his paused voice: ‘Ah! I see there
a lady who thinks she is a pilot’. Finally he made
the presentation of the other officers calling their names, saying their place of origin and
praising each one. He would do it the same way a vain father presents his sons. In fact I left this
cruise with the feeling that all the crew made a good job.
I must tell you that the Royal Clipper is not intended for
ordinary cruisers. I admit I have myself an odd personality. As a consequence the perspective of
things I consider interesting and significant may not have any meaning to other people.
THE SHIP
The Royal Clipper was operating with its full capacity that’s
to say around 228 passengers. It is not intended for shoppers, as there is only one shop selling
items suited to make an offer to someone back home, neither for casino addicts as there is no
casino. As far as I’m concerned it suits me as I do not loose my precious money and even more
precious time with such childish frivolities. I do not need much for a good vacation. A nice
uncrowded place on the open air, a good book and a screwdriver by a side table are plenty enough.
There is very good entertainment however. The sea around you provides it all.
The inside of the ship is very elegant, comfortable and roomy.
Never had we the feeling of being cramped. One of the most interesting features is the platform on
the back of the ship that could be lowered to the level of the sea. It allowed us to get in and out
of the warm baths of the Mediterranean waters. It was also very useful for the different sport
activities offered on board. Who minds if the three pools on the sun deck are undersized if we had
all the sea to swim. The library was one of my preferred places. It was furnished in Edwardian style
and with a nice fireplace while useless in August. I would like to have a library like that back at
home. Unfortunately the shelves of this superb library were empty except for a half of dozen of low
qualities novels. Such a place deserves at least one or two good encyclopaedias and a good
assortment of charts. I can however understand that people on a cruise are not always very cultural
oriented. The dinning room and piano bar are very elegantly decorated, with natural lighting coming
from the glass bottom of one of the swimming pools. The observation lounge was bland. The sun deck
is an excellent place to spend time even if near the bar it was sometimes smelly whenever the cooker
was preparing meals three decks below.
I had a class 2 outside cabin. It had a nice classical decor and
two portholes. It was fitted with TV to view films, an in-room safe, temperature control and
satellite telephone. The bathroom was also elegant with marble all around and on the floor. The
shower however was too confining and only suited for children up to 14 years. The cabin was quiet
but I must tell you I was far from the main nuisances of a ship such as the kitchen, the engine and
even further away from the exhaust system of the engine, by the way very ingeniously placed on the
top of two of the ship five masts. I never heard my neighbours whether they were very silent or the
cabin had good soundproofing.
The ship seemed to be very stable but I really don’t know what
would have happened in rougher seas.
THE SERVICE
I booked myself this cruise for me as for other members of my
family, including my two nieces, 10 and 13 years old. The girls shared a cabin. We were six. The
other cabins of my family were on a lower deck (class 3). Apparently they had the same size and
amenities. I was led to the conclusion that there is no point in choosing a higher class if you have
enough mobility – no lifts on board - and the few extra steps are no problem.
My stewardess did a very good job. She would clean up very
efficiently the cabin every morning. I’m very rigorous with hygiene mainly in bathrooms still I
noticed it was always thoroughly cleaned. From the forth day on, if one cared to examine more in
detail, some more remote areas of the cabin – the frame of the painting on the wall, the light
bulbs or other more out of sight spots – it was possible to find an extremely thin layer of dust.
Once more I admit that I’m myself to blame for taking notice of such insignificant details. While
we were dinning she would return to prepare the beds for the night, sometimes she would leave a
chocolate on the pillow and lightening on the bathroom and on the bedside reading lamps would be
turned on. If necessary wet towels would be changed. During the all week I found her very often on
the corridors, always busy but smiling and saluting, consequently should I have needed her
assistance she would have been readily available. The other members of my family who had other
stewards were also satisfied.
My favourite meals were breakfast and the nice snack served in
the afternoon. They were close to excellence in what concerns taste, variety and presentation. Fresh
fruit, salads and other crudities that I consider should be consumed on a daily basis were in good
supply. For lunch we had always an assorted buffet even though some of the cold plates kept coming
back for several days. Dinner was served a la carte and consisted of an appetizer, soup, the main
tray, salad, an assortment of cheese and dessert. The appetizer the main tray and dessert had at
least two options. Presentation was excellent but the taste quite a few times was a little bit on
the pepper side, even soup and salads were often peppered –
not to the taste of everyone and certainly not mine. In general terms lunch and dinner pleased the
eye but not the palate and even if I’m neither a gourmet nor a gourmand I had higher expectations.
The wine list was appropriate and with a wide range of price. An early sleeper like me never
attended midnight buffets.
Dining room service at breakfast and lunch was good and the
waiters kept coming to take care of our refills of water or ice tea, they were also attentive with
the girls frequently taking care of their particular needs. Dinner however was quite a different
matter. Star Clippers operates open seating policy and dinner was served from 7:30 PM till 10:00 PM.
Still service was so slow that it was common to be seated for two hours just for dinner. We were
kept waiting between one tray and the other for an excessive length of time. Twenty to twenty five
minutes between the soup and the main tray was common. Waiting for dessert was also exasperating.
Fifty minutes was our record and on that particular dinner by the time we got our sirloin we were
already in the late stages of our digestion. One of my nieces was already sleeping head against her
mother’s shoulder. Another day we decided to have dinner later and arrived at the dinning room at
9:15 PM. Unfortunately there were no tables left enough big to accommodate the six of us. It would
only be possible to accommodate groups of two in different tables. As a consequence the adults
couldn’t have shared a bottle of wine. We got finally
a table enough big ten minutes later. As the kitchen closes at 10:00 PM we had quite the opposite
feeling of the previous nights, and were positively rushed through the entire meal. This did not
prove to be the right solution mainly because we had to stroll around the deserted ship for quite a
long time before getting seated even though we were starving.
We did not dare to call the attention of the waiters as they were
constantly running back and forth to the kitchen, balancing huge loads of dishes between the narrow
alleys. The number of seats in the dinning room is equivalent to the capacity of the ship in
passengers. I was led to the conclusion there were too few waiters or the kitchen was not able to
provide dinner for every passenger at the same time. To worsen things on two different occasions I
noticed there were tables reserved. The program of our first day clearly stated that no table
reservations could be made. Service during dinner was obviously the major drawback of this cruise. I
believe that on the cruise market, competition is tough. I red reviews of Star Clipper’s main
competitor, Windstar Cruises and on this point of view Windstar’s reviews were flattering.
The night prior to disembarkation we were docked in Monaco
and as a few passengers decided to have dinner out, the waiters were less stressed and had enough
time to talk with us. We were told that their team was to be reinforced. This means the problem had
already been detected and they were trying to fix it. Therefore I can anticipate that by the time
you read this lines the problem will no longer exist.
The silverware on dinning tables did not include forks or knifes
for fish. Every low class restaurant in Europe provides them. Chatting with one of the officers on
the tropical bar, we were told that such silverware was largely unknown in the United States a
country where a large number of passengers usually come from and they did not want to embarrass
them. Should any other European passenger had access to this explanation, he would have found it
inconsiderate from Star Clippers for taking in consideration only a part of their clientele. Since
we were always in European territory it would have been advisable to include such features on the
tables. As for American passengers or any other passengers, landscapes, culture and behaviour of
other societies are all part of the fun of travelling.
Due to the reduced number of passengers, embarkation was swift
and disembarkation even more. I had a slight problem upon disembarkation with the transfer I had
pre-arranged myself before the cruise. Fortunately the representative of Star Clippers in Cannes was
extremely helpful.
In such a cruise, tender service is particularly important as the
Royal Clipper was almost always anchored off the places we were visiting. There were no long waits
and no tickets to be collected for the tenders like in big cruisers - an advantage of small ships
like ours. The tenders were designed in a way that it was also possible to get in and out of them on
places with no port facilities like a beach. The bottom of the tenders are for that reason rather
flat and as a consequence, the trail of waves left by other passing boats would make us waltz. On
those occasions the girls were extremely amused, other senior passengers however were much less
thrilled. In one occasion when the RC was anchored off Bonifacio and the sea was a bit rougher than
the usual a senior passenger in panic made a dangerous jump from the tender to the platform at the
bottom of the gangway. The tender had not yet been properly docked to the platform and the crew was
in the third attempt to do it. The tenders seemed to be difficult to deal with but one could see the
crew assigned to them was extremely talented. Occasionally we would arrive at our destination
slightly wet. It is advisable to choose the back of the tender to seat. It would be also prudent to
provide the tenders with the appropriate features to prevent passengers in panic to make dangerous
moves.
Finally let me tell you that the ship was very clean. Wherever I
went during the day, there was always someone cleaning or polishing whatever there was to be
polished. Maintenance on the sun deck however was very difficult specially because there was still
some work being done by the crew. The ship was new and I noticed there were some features on the
final stages of completion - some parts of the ship had not yet been varnished.
THE PEOPLE
It’s useful to know what breed of people we are likely to find
in a cruise and eventually identify ourselves with that group. In a small ship, faces become easily
familiar. The atmosphere on board was informal.
I spotted on this cruise a young couple and they seemed to be
honeymooners. However their behavior did not fit into the patterns of honeymooners. The bright color
of their skin, eyes and hair made me recognize them as northern Europeans. One day, they sat in a
nearby place in the tender that took us from the ship to the marina of Porto
Cervo. They exchanged
few and brief words. Still I could not identify their language. They were from northern Europe
though probably not Scandinavia. During the cruise, never have I witnessed a kiss, a caress, a smile
even a slight touch of hands. Eye contact only occurred during the brief dialogues. Should anyone
ask me if the Royal Clipper is a good place for honeymooners, after what I saw I would be inclined
to answer no. The seriousness of their faces never gave way to any symptom of happiness. On second
thoughts however, the close presence of the sea, not so easily perceptible in huge cruisers with
exaggerated number of entertainment, the wonderful sunsets, the easily observed full moons during
that particular week and its delicate lightning, the particular concept of sailing of this ship, all
seem to be prone to romanticism. I’m now led to the conclusion that the cold nature of peoples of
northern Europe would never allow that young couple to express in public even the slightest sign of
love. Yes, I’m convinced this is the right place for honeymooners.
It’s very unpleasant to deal with wild children, travelling on
a cruise. One must not forget that such children are the result of unfitted parents. There were no
children falling into that category on our cruise and even if there were unfitted parents they were
enough clever not to bring them along. On our particular cruise I remember a large family from
Sweden the core of which was a senior gentleman who was travelling with sons and grandsons. I could
read on the eyes of that particular gentleman how pleased he was when seated on the sun deck playing
a game of cards with the youngest of his grandsons. He would say to the other passengers nearby in a
laughing and proud voice: ‘when I play with him I’m always loosing’. The young boy was also
extremely excited to have all the adult’s attention focused on him. Thus, providing you give
children the attention they need and not abandon them to their will, the Royal Clipper is perfectly
suited for a family to spend a few relaxing days. Even if there were no special programs for kids I
never noticed any signs of boredom on the faces of the few children on board. Adolescents however
would prefer the company of other people of their age.
Children even gave their contribution to the entertainment shows.
Speaking of which, we were offered one every night. A group of singers was brought one night from
Corsica. It was my favourite performance. On another night the crew gave their contribution with
unexpected skills. There were other shows I did not particularly enjoy, but they seemed to be well
accepted by the other passengers. Although not disposing of the means generally offered by huge
cruise liners, our cruise director proved to be resourceful and accessible.
I have to say that I witnessed manners that I consider unexpected
in such a place. The dinning room of any restaurant or cruise is the ideal place to study people and
assess their upbringing. I wouldn’t like to flatter myself, but I can do it just looking at the
way people eat. Do they make exaggerating noise when eating soup, do they take food into their
mouths with knifes instead of forks, do they gesticulate with the silverware in their hands. This
and other less perceptible signs are symptoms of careless upbringing.
Well, the dinning room and the long waits we endured provided me with one of my favourite
diversions – study of people behaviour. I noticed one night a middle aged ‘gentleman’ sitting
for dinner his shirt with loosen buttons and exhibiting the curled hair of his chest. My
sister-in-law called my attention to a ‘lady’ in the same table with fancy dress, jewels on her
neck and expensive wristwatch who decided to clean her teeth with the tips of her nails. I heard
them speaking, and they had British accent, citizens of Her Majesty. Who would say! Would they have
sons? What values were they able to pass to younger generations? I spare you other unexpected
details of human behaviour I witnessed during that week while sited in the sun deck my eyes
concealed behind my dark sunglasses and a book with a title no one could read in front of my face.
It’s very important yet that you understand that I’m not trying to insult those people but
rather to demonstrate what you are likely to find on board.
When I first turned over the pages of the prospectus of Star
Clippers, I saw pictures of happy and sophisticated people. I was intimidated and began to wonder if
once on board I would identify myself with that fauna. It turns out now that I’m more
sophisticated than a considerable number of people I met on board. I had made an error of
judgement.
When I looked at those pictures my eyes saw the appearance and missed the essence. A lot of that
people have the means but not the manners. The manners can’t be the object of commercial
transaction. Whether one is provided with them during childhood or one missed them for good.
The purpose of the last paragraphs is an advice to people
considering booking a cruise. If you examine the prospectus do never get intimidated by what you
see. Reality is often different from what we would expect. Rely on the advice of other people who
went through those experiences.
ITINERARY
In what concerns the itinerary I was personally less pleased with
some aspects. I got to see Corsica quite well and it’s definitively a place to return to. I had
higher expectations for Sardinia but we made only one stop at Porto Cervo a place whose
infrastructure was developed by the Aga Khan foundation. I’m personally convinced this name was
the main key to include the place in our itinerary. At least Sardinia deserved another stop like we
did in Figari beach in Corsica. Back home, whenever people ask me how did I find Sardinia I have to
tell them that I have not seen enough. Elba island, an historical site where Napoleon was forced to
live in exile after is first abdication was worth while as was Portofino. Finally, Monaco is
intended for those who like casinos and gambling. I have myself been in some casinos but not
Monaco’s, and have lost money. It was nevertheless an inspiring experience. I won something much
more precious. Wisdom. Plenty enough not to gamble ever again. If you are in need for it, go to a
casino in Monte Carlo. Once back home you could praise yourself in front of family and friends that
you won such preciousness in such a glamorous place – a unique experience. Be aware the ritual
requires that in such places attire is important. Shorts and polo shirts are out of the question in
opposition to the informal ambiance of the Royal Clipper. Otherwise Monte Carlo is packed with
tourists, there are traffic jams, breathing on some less windy roads becomes difficult because of
exhausts from cars and the place has too many skyscrapers – a true forest of concrete. It might
have been interesting some decades ago. A visit to the region around it, ‘Les Alpes Maritimes’
as the French call it would have been much more adequate as this region has breathtaking landscapes.
Star Clippers provided excursions around Monte Carlo and one of them included a flight in helicopter
- expensive but maybe worthwhile.
However I do not think that Star Clippers should include this
stop in the itinerary. It can be reached before or after the cruise by anyone staying in Cannes –
less than an hour away by car – and be visited in a more thorough way. If Star Clippers is
determined to include it on this route for commercial reasons, quite a lot of passengers are, as to
say hypnotized by the name Monte Carlo, it would be more advisable to make the start of the journey
from here and skip Cannes. I don’t see the point of having in the itinerary a place so close to
starting/finishing place of the cruise.
I can’t quote on the shore excursions. Should I make the same
journey again I would most definitively had tried one in Elba and in Monaco.
LAST WORDS
As an advice let me tell you that not a year goes by without a
new cruiser being launched and that they are every time getting bigger and bigger. Bare in mind
however that this happens for commercial purposes. In such places passenger expectations are
processed as a big computer processes huge amounts of data – swiftly and impersonally. It’s hard
to find the feeling of being close to the sea, the element where we all came from. I remember the
morning we arrived to Monte Carlo there was a big cruiser anchored off the port, the Grand Princess.
If I’m not wrong it’s for the moment the second biggest, I can imagine how graceful and stylish
our clipper would look from the bridge of that monster.
I don’t think after this experience that it is advisable to
book a cruise on the first season of a particular ship. New cruisers have sometimes to undergo
unexpected repairs. An example of that is the Millenium from Celebrity Cruises. Allow one year
before you make any booking. It still will be a new ship and you will provide the crew enough time
to make the necessary adjustments to the new demanding procedures. I can imagine that running a ship
is tough. Quite frankly what’s the thrill of telling friends – I was among the first to go on
that ship.
It’s now slightly more than a month that I left the south of
France and the Royal Clipper. I’m back home to my daily routines. When I have the time to relax, I
lie back, close my eyes and listen to music, another one of my favorite hobbies. I often listen to
the ‘Conquest to Paradise’ from Vangelis. It was often played aboard the Royal Clipper when the
sails were lowered. Flashes of those excellent few days return to my mind with nostalgia. Those days
seem now like brief and precious few minutes. French have an interesting saying reading plainly this
state of mind: ‘Les parfums les plus précieux se gardent dans de petits flacons’ meaning the
most precious perfumes come in tiny little bottles. Should anyone ask me whether I would like to
fill the scent of that ship again, the answer would be a sincere and prompt yes.
If this review did not cover every significant aspect, feel free
to ask additional details.
José Sá

Southern Caribbean

We have cruised about a dozen
times before, on the large cruise ships of Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Norwegian, and
Celebrity. We were intrigued with taking a cruise on a smaller-sized, real sailing ship (no big
entertainment, no casino, no long lines). The Royal Clipper is a beautiful new sailing ship of the
Star Clippers cruise line.
Friday
Judy and I flew out of
Minneapolis on American Airlines on a Friday

morning. We had decided to fly a day early to our
cruise that started in Barbados, and spend one night in a hotel to ensure we wouldn't miss the boat.
It was a long day of traveling. Our first plane was to Chicago. Second to Miami. Third to Barbados.
We arrived in Barbados late, about 9:30 p.m., and got a ride over to our hotel for the night. It was
raining - the hotel staff told us December is usually their driest month, but they had been having a
lot of rain this year (it figures). They have had some trouble with Dengue fever on the island, so
our room had a mosquito coil slowly burning on the floor (nice touch). The cruise line was supposed
to pick us up at 3:30 the following day (Saturday) to take us to the ship, which was supposed to
dock at 6:00 a.m., unloaded the passengers, then let us new passengers on the ship by 5:00 p.m. for
a 10:00 sailing.
Saturday
We checked out of our hotel at
noon, and sat around the pool and read our books and relaxed until 3:30 p.m. I had a funny feeling
that nobody would actually come get us as promised. Then a taxi driver looking for someone else
asked us who we were waiting for, and when we told him we were waiting for a taxi to take us to the
Royal Clipper, he said he had overheard some bad news - it wasn't coming back until the NEXT day
because of problems! I asked him if this happened often, and he said, no.
So I called the agent for the
cruise company and found out that indeed, the ship was very late getting back from Martinique to
Barbados (the longest leg of the cruise)they had run into very strong head winds (were probably
relying on their engine), and were due in about 8 or 9 p.m. They said we could stay at the hotel
until they were ready to take us to the ship, or they could pick us up now and take us to a
bar/restaurant/beach area downtown (Bridgetown) where the other passengers would be arriving. They
would take us to a restaurant for dinner (a pretty forgettable meal), and then when it was time to
board the ship, they would take us to the ship. We opted for the second option - we did not want to
hang around the hotel anymore.
While we were waiting in
Bridgetown, we met some of our fellow passengers on the voyage, including a nice older couple from
Florida, whom we spent a lot of time with on the trip, as well as couples from England, Germany, and
Virginia. It turned out there were only 97 passengers on our trip, on a boat that accommodated over
200. September 11th definitely had something to do with it. There were many English and German
people on the cruise, so all announcements were made in three languages. On the menus in the dining
room, French came first, then English, and then German. I also met an Austrian man who had cruised
more exotic, adventurous places, such as the high arctic and Antarctica, and was looking forward
next year to a voyage on a Russian icebreaker to reach the North Pole.
We finally were taken to the
ship at 10:00 p.m., and the captain got us underway a little before midnight. Once we got out of the
harbor (at each port) by engine power, the crew would start hoisting the 33 sails (give or take a
couple) to the theme music from the movie, "Christopher Columbus: 1492." It was all very
interesting and moving. The passengers were never made to feel they were in the crew's way. This was
a beautiful 2-year old ship, not an old Windjammer, and the passengers WERE NOT asked to help with
the sails.
Once we got underway, we had
to cross the Atlantic from Barbados to the first destination, Carriacou, an island north of Grenada.
The rocking and tossing of the boat made me feel a little nauseous, so I decided to just lie down on
my bed (wishing I hadn't eaten dinner). It was not that bad, and apparently did not affect Judy
much. I was happy to discover the next morning I had fallen asleep, and we were now on calm seas.
Sunday
Some drizzling on and off, but
we took the tender boat that landed on Carriacou, and then went on to a tiny island called Sandy
Island, where we did some snorkeling before it rained again. It was not much more than a sand bar
with about 5 palm trees on it, but somebody later told me the island had a lot more trees before the
most recent hurricane decreased their number.
Breakfasts and lunches on the
ship were always buffets (breakfast also featured a chef making omelets to order), and you sat
anywhere and with whom you wanted. The food was good, but I thought the quality (and variety) was a
little bit below what I've usually experienced on Princess. Dinner was a choice of two entrees, as
well as salad, soup, appetizer, and dessert. Because they put out an afternoon snack at 5:00, we
never went to dinner before 8:00. Dinner also was come when you want and sit with whom you want. We
met some other nice people this way, including a travel writer from Manhattan who was on board with
her mother, and a schoolteacher from England. One night we ate with three of the four young Swedish
people who were the water sports staff. We met some other English couples on the trip who were also
very charming. One of them had been on the ship the previous week (a different island itinerary) and
told us it was so rough sailing back to Barbados the previous Saturday that two women fell off their
chairs in the dining room, and the silverware and glasses were falling off the tables. I was glad we
missed that voyage.
Monday
We took the tender from the
ship to Grenada. The taxi drivers here were VERY aggressive trying to engage you in conversation so
they could take you on an island tour in their taxis. I do not think they believed us when we told
them we had been to and seen much of the island before (we had). We walked around the markets, but
did not find much to buy except for the usual spices. We did find a store that sold some exotic
flavors of ice cream, and after we bought two cones, the owner gave us a golden-foil wrapped nutmeg,
which is the leading export of Grenada (without the gold foil), and even appears on their flag. We
bought some real cinnamon bark and some locally made vanilla extract for presents to friends back
home.
We had been told that our ship
would be moved at 4:00 p.m. to dock at the pier, so we would not need the tender boats to get back
to the ship later. We got back to the pier at 2:30 and waited and waited but no tender ever came. I
was starting to become annoyed, as we were running out of time left in Grenada to get to a beach.
There was a huge container cargo ship blocking our view, which it turned out, prevented us from
seeing that our ship had moved EARLY, and was around the corner from where we were waiting. I
finally asked a woman in an information booth if she had heard of anything, and a man talking to her
told us our ship was docked around the corner! So we went back to the ship and got changed into our
swimsuits and got our snorkeling gear together, and took a taxi to Grenada's probably best-known
beach, Grand Anse. It is supposed to have good snorkeling, but it is a very long beach, and
apparently where the taxi dropped us off there were no fish.
Tuesday
This was the highlight day of
the cruise for most people. We were now in the Grenadines, which included many small islands, some
of which had beautiful beaches and coral reefs but no inhabitants. We first took an excursion that
showed us Palm and Union Islands, then we stopped at a beautiful beach (Salt Whistle) on Maryeau for
a swim, where the water was nice and warm, and different shades of aquamarine and blue and teal.
Then we went snorkeling on the famous Horseshoe Reef circling the Tobago Cays (four uninhabited
islets), and then were let off on another small island, I believe named Petite Bateau, where the
rest of the ship's passengers were enjoying a very tasty beach barbeque lunch. Just when we got our
food, the skies opened up and everyone got wet. But it didn't spoil what had been a terrific day.
One of the few disappointments
on the cruise was that the cruise/excursion director did not appear to be very familiar with some of
the islands, where to go, etc., but only knew about the excursions he was selling. In fairness to
him, I think he had only been in the islands for a few weeks. But it was frustrating that, unlike
the large cruise ships, this did not supply us with any island or city maps except for St. Lucia,
and we never knew where exactly the ship would be stationed if it took people to a beach. In fact,
because of the low passenger level, several of the shore excursions had to be cancelled because they
didn't get the minimum amount of people needed.
The more we cruise, the more
independent we seem to have become, especially if we have been to an island before. It is usually a
lot cheaper to hire a taxi to take you where you want to go or see by yourselves, instead of paying
for a tour through the ship. The only drawback is that you have got to make it back to the ship
before it sails - they won't wait for you if you are late and are not on one of the ship's shore
excursions.
Wednesday
We were supposed to be in St.
Vincent in the morning, and the small yet quaint island of Bequia in the afternoon. The whole day it
rained. The only washed-out day of the cruise. Judy and I walked around the markets in Kingstown in
the morning, but didn't find any place that sold any kind of tee shirts or souvenirs; but we did
find an Internet Café, which was very reasonable - $2 for 15 minutes (the ship's PC available to
send an e-mail for $35 did not work, and I had to argue a little to get a refund). I sent an e-mail
to our younger son at college, to tell him that if our voyage was delayed getting back to Barbados
(as the last week's one was), when he got to the airport the day AFTER we were supposed to come home
(Sunday), and called us to pick him up, if we didn't answer the phone, to take a taxi home.
I had been planning on getting
a taxi driver to show us around the small island of Bequia in the afternoon, as well as let us off
for an hour at one of the beautiful beaches on the island to swim and snorkel, but the rain changed
all of that. We decided to walk around the small main street of the harbor (Port Elizabeth) anyhow,
and bought a couple of souvenirs. There is a famous wooden boat shop in Bequia (the models sell for
$200-$300), but the place was closed. But at least we weren't disappointed about the excursion to
the very exclusive island of Mustique (homes owned by Bill Gates, Mick Jagger, etc.) being cancelled
(because of the bad weather). Because we were only going to be in Bequia for a few hours, we had to
decide before today between taking the Mustique excursion or spending the time on Bequia, and we had
chosen Bequia.
Thursday
Nice weather today in St.
Lucia. We did not think we had enough time to take a taxi down to the southern end of the island
where the snorkeling was (Anse Chastanet) as well as a beautiful view of the Pitons (two green
mountains rising out of the sea), so we took a taxi north to Pigeon Island, where the Hyatt Hotel
(which was pretty empty) had a beautiful swimming beach. This brings up one minor disappointment
with the cruise: in several places the ship left at 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon, unlike the usual
5:00 or 6:00 on the large cruise ships. So our time on any one island was more limited.
However, the second highlight
of the trip took place in the afternoon. Since the weather was nice, the captain let people get onto
a tender with their cameras, and after we sailed away from the ship, put up all the sails so we
could take pictures of the ship in all of its glory. It was really something to see. Our tender even
briefly maneuvered in front of the path of the ship, where it became very obvious how fast the
sailing ship was really moving through the water, right at us!
The evenings on the ship were
pretty quiet. One night they had a Caribbean party with a local steel drum band on board, another
night a passenger talent show that turned out to be an all- CREW talent show, except for one older
woman who belted out some aria from some opera we weren't familiar with. There were two channels on
the in-room television showing year-old movies, one in English, one in German or French with the
other language in subtitles. So I ended up rewatching some movies I had already seen, but were
pretty good (like "Billy Elliot, Christopher Columbus: 1492," etc.) They showed
"Columbus" because that's the movie whose music they played when the sails went up leaving
port. The movie was over two hours long, but when it hit the two-hour mark, the movie stopped!
Several of us at dinner shared our disappointment, and none of us (without the end of the movie)
could remember if Columbus ended up being killed on his fourth voyage, or how his story ended. I
found the answer on the web:
Christopher Columbus died in
Valladolid, Spain, on May 20, 1506, at the age of 54. He had suffered through a long terminal
illness that first showed symptoms on his third voyage eight years before.
According to his son Fernando,
the cause of death was "gout." But in those days, gout was a catchall diagnosis for
anything that caused joint pain. Recent research by Gerald Weissmann indicates that the most likely
cause of death was Reiter's Syndrome, a rare tropical disease.
Friday
Last island of the trip,
Martinique. We signed up for our only other ship's excursion - a morning catamaran ride down to a
black sand beach that had snorkeling. When we got down there, they took us in a Zodiac boat to see
the only two bat caves on the island. For some reason I could not get a picture of the hundreds of
bats in the dark in the caves. Then we spent an hour snorkeling before it was time to sail back to
the Royal Clipper for the last time. On one side of the bay I watched thousands of small, silver
fish circle around and around, a fish river in the sea.
We had little over an hour
left when we got back to the ship, and we walked into Fort du France, Martinque - it was a long
walk, but all we found were restaurants, grocery stores, and shops for the locals. Martinique is
much more cosmopolitan, white collar, and upscale than some of the other nearby islands like St.
Lucia. We almost got lost trying to find our way back to the streets we needed to take back to the
ship but fortunately found our way back.
In the afternoon, I went up on
deck to attend a knot-tying class conducted by a member of the crew from Trinidad. His English was a
little hard to understand, and of the six or seven students, I had the most trouble with one or two
of the knots. He went through about seven different knots, all of which sounded like they had the
same name, yet a different specific purpose. He would check each student's knot, and say, "Very
good, excellent, or sometimes in my case, "I've never seen THAT one before!" I would have
been happy if he had stopped after the first couple of knots so that I would remember something. In
fact, after the class was finished, I realized I had become so confused about tying knots, that I
temporarily forgot how to tie a simple bow or shoelace! Fortunately this knowledge returned later on
that day.
We had our last dinner, and
Judy started packing. Our bags had to be out in the hallway by 4:30 a.m. (the big cruise ships have
a midnight deadline). Thankfully the seas were not too rough, although we had some bad vibrations
shaking the doors in the room all the way back to Barbados on Friday night/early Saturday morning.
Saturday
We had our early bird
breakfast and left for the airport to catch our 9:00 flight from Barbados back to Miami. When we got
to the airport, there was a really long line with just one security agent working on our flight. She
had on plastic gloves and was opening up EVERY piece of to-be-checked luggage, and going through
everything, including lots of dirty laundry. It went so slow, I do not know how our flight was ONLY
30 minutes late. When we got to Miami, going through customs was awful - the place was a madhouse of
hundreds and hundreds of people dashing one way or the other, or standing in very long lines. When
we went to the baggage carrousels to claim our luggage, they changed the carrousel number (1 to 8)
THREE times without posting it on the electronic signs. Then, after we rechecked our luggage and
went to catch our next flight, when we went through security, I was taken aside, padded down and
"wanded," and also asked to show the soles of my shoes (something new and odd). We did not
know until we got home that night about the incident that day on another American Airlines flight
with the "shoe bomber" who had plastic explosive in his shoe and was trying to ignite it.
Some Additional Thoughts
The ship had three tiny
saltwater pools, but we didn't use any of them. The rear of the ship on the first level had a marina
platform that went opened down over the water, where they offered scuba, sailboating, wind surfing,
water skiing, etc. on a couple of the islands, but we didn't have the chance to use it. The cabins
themselves had nice wood paneling, and the bathrooms had marble floors (but also a tiny shower with
a curtain that tended to want to stick to your rear and become more intimate with you than you
desired).
The captain and entire crew of
the ship were warm and gracious. With only 97 people on our voyage, we got to meet a lot of people
and sometimes it felt like one big family. Indeed, there were about 23 people on board having a
family reunion, complete with some children.
One evening the captain of the
ship gave a basic navigation lesson, and passed around a real sextant, which would be useful if the
global positioning satellite system went down. I was disappointed the lesson did not get into actual
information about how they use the sails to propel the ship, or what the different 33 sails were
for. Another afternoon Louis, the chief engineer, gave us a quick tour through the engine rooms of
the ship. Some of the engine rooms were very hot and very noisy.
Below the waterline on the
lowest level of the ship was a small gym/health spa. I used the treadmills there several afternoons.
One wall had portholes that were underwater, but I never saw any fish swim by.
All of the ports we visited
accepted American currency. The other islands, except Barbados and Martinique, also took EC (Eastern
Caribbean) currency.
Many of the people on the ship
had only been on one or none of the large cruise ships before, yet were pretty negative about them.
I found myself a minority of one saying I have enjoyed both types of sailing experiences. But
understand that this type of cruise on a real sailing vessel is NOT for everyone.
All in all, it was a real fun
week and cruise, and we were all saddened to have to leave the ship and the people whose company we
enjoyed during the week.

Eastern Mediterranean

We reserved the owner’s cabin 001,
approximately 18 months earlier
After the ship departed Istanbul we
returned to our cabin and discovered a fowl smell. The odor was similar to a
sewer smell.
That night the crew tried to air out the
room by keeping the doors open and using electric fans. After a few hours the
crew realized the odor was still very much present so they offered us a place to
sleep the first night, two separate small

cabins.
We had already unpacked and since three of
us were celebrating a special occasion, we were not satisfied with this
condition. We were also planning a champagne cocktail celebration in our cabin
the first night, which was canceled.
The next morning the odor was slightly
less but by early evening the odor returned.
Interestingly the only rooms that smelled
fresh were the two bathrooms so the odor was seeping from underneath the
flooring or the ventilation system.
One evening we attempted to have a
cocktail hour in our cabin, the guests could not believe we were living a week
in a “stink hole and this is suppose to be the Best cabin on the Ship”
We tried to stay out of the room as much
as possible and during the last two days it was totally unbearable. Apparently a
pipe broke underneath the flooring, which carried waste products. The crew
closed off our bathroom and brought a water vacuum to try and dry our carpet,
our stairs and the hallway. Again our doors were left open for everyone to gawk.
For two days we had to walk through wet waste in our cabin entrance and stairs
plus the hallway. It was disgusting.
The final night, I slept with a sheet over
my head in order not to inhale the fumes.
Every RSVP and Royal Clipper staff member
was aware of the problem but they had no solutions.
Obviously our cruise was ruined and after
contacting RSVP and Royal Clipper both companies refused to offer any type of
compensation.

Southern Caribbean

Royal Clipper
Barbados, St. Lucia, Terre de Haut (Iles des Saintes), Dominica, Antigua. St. Kitts, Martinique,
Barbados
After numerous cruises to the
Western Caribbean on a variety of conventional cruise ships, I was looking for something different
for our annual wedding anniversary cruise in December. I found the Star Clipper Line on the internet
and was fascinated by the ship and the itinerary….the Windward Islands, places

we had never been
before. When we arrived in Barbados, and the cruise line rep waiting at the airport called us by
name, I knew we were in for something special. Our bags were in the cabin in minutes.
The ship is fairly new (July,
2000). This is a big sailing ship - not a hotel. Biggest sailing cruise ship in the world -
certainly bigger than any plying the Caribbean waters or the Med. A visual feast with five very tall
masts, and almost always under sail. Compare it to other sailing ships or steel cruise ships: 429
feet long, masts almost 200 feet high, 54 foot beam (width), 56,000 square feet of sail (a typical
cabin on a cruise ship has 140 square feet floor area.) Includes 26 square sails, 12 staysails,
three jibs, a spanker. Every time the sailed and hoisted sail, they played inspiring music over the
topside speakers!
High quality appointments,
cabin fixtures, and materials throughout. Very pleasant crew, enough food - well prepared - to keep
us alive and happy. Rides the waves like a sailing ship - not bumpy, not flat, not boring. You're
here to sail but not to fear for your life. 20 knots top speed at sail (that's very fast over 4-6
foot swells - feels great!)
This ship has stairs (lots of
them), no elevator, three wetting pools, more open deck space than 5 cruise ships, ample lounge
chairs, and a nice quiet "public" room and library. The cabins - even the basic ones - are
very well appointed, attractive, and roomy. The whole place feels pretty upscale but you don't find
yourself wishing you brought your tux or tiara.
Pax capacity is 228. The mix
was 15% US, 20% UK, 50% Germany, 15% Canada and others. All adults.
At most ports, we anchored
offshore and used the tenders to land. The marketing brochures of Star Clipper leads one to expect
unique landing or small beach anchorages. This ship is too large to sneak into some swimming holes.
But it certainly comes near shores easily. Although Windstar and other sailing lines (like
Windjammer)" sail these waters, it was clear in most ports that the size and unique qualities
of the Royal Clipper earned admiring gazes of many folks on shore, and even other conventional
cruise ships. One went out of their way to pass close for their pax to take photographs of us under
sail, leaving St. Kitts.
The Crew: A mixture of
nationalities of very pleasant men and woman who are relaxed, polite, and obviously satisfied to
work on this vessel. Many eastern European men are in the deck crew. Many said they had worked for
several of the larger cruise lines but chose Star Clipper Lines. They treat the employees well, even
letting some return home during peak periods like the holidays.
Officers were Norwegian,
Polish, English, etc. Captain Marek is animated, boisterous, loves to dance with guests, eats in the
dining room every night, and loves rainbows!! For most, his positive energy was contagious. The
bridge is always open to visitors.
The Cabins: They're clean,
well decorated, comfy, and have adequate space, with storage for bags under bed. We had a true
double bed, not two twins faking it. Lots of wood (ersatz) and classical-looking materials. Marble
(real) in the bathroom. Toiletries provided and towels changed twice a day. Storage adequate, not
great. Rooms sound proof - except in some when the anchors come and go, or the power grinders help
with the sail lines. Carpeting galore. Nice nautical colors and patterns. No neon. No
"art". TV ran text news - sometimes. Movies
played in English, French, German, and a variety of music on several channels. In room safes were
available.
Public rooms: Nice variety -
exterior very free form, interiors like large living rooms. A comfy library with a faux fireplace. A
forward room called the Observation Lounge that few people use. Contains two computers for Internet
use if you purchase an internet card, and board games. A library, as equipped as other ships. Below
decks, you can descend to Nemo's Lounge. It's not a lounge as was planned, but the "gym"
and a beauty salon. It has exercise machines, including
some treadmills and stationery bicycles, and a few other devices. There were, as advertised, three
or four underwater portholes ! A great idea. Except in day you can't see much.
Amidships, (above the water
line) is a very nice and quiet inside room, called the Piano Bar which is really just a large space
with couches, chairs, coffee machines, a bar and a piano. It surrounds the "atrium" -
another touch from the "big iron ships."
The dining room is the lower
level of the "atrium." The dining room is wonderful and skillfully plotted to handle
everyone at any time. The galley (and dishes, serving stations) seem to be miles away - so it's
quiet, odorless. Buffet dinner the first night before sailing, and all breakfasts and lunches.
Dinner is open seating ala carte menu. Come in anytime between 7:30 and 10pm.
A bar and covered deck area
(where we embark and disembark) were nautical and nice. This is were after dinner dancing,
entertainment by crew and passengers, and fun and games takes place at night. One night they brought
aboard a fabulous steel band until we sailed about 11pm.
The top (Sun) deck is the best
- huge, all areas open. Features big things which help the ship sail - like masts, lines, machines,
gadgets, chains. All teak decking, abundant benches and things to sit on or lean against or lie on.
Visibility from the deck is 360 degrees with no air conditioning boxes or cranes blocking your view
or your movement. The pools are wet - one has a glass bottom which is viewed from the piano bar
atrium. Two are very small. I like to float in water that's floating on a ship that's floating in
sea. It's comfy - if you like salt water.
There's lots of room to stand
or sit by the bridge area - there's a great high platform to stand like an Admiral and study the
horizon. Looking back over the deck, even the slightest roll of the ship is magnified by the 200
foot masts - this thing is an engineering marvel that must be seen to appreciated. We heard it cost
$65 million to float it - that may be low. Forward (in front of) the bridge area is more deck space.
And beyond that (even more forward) is some tight netting that hangs out over the water under the
bowsprit. (That's the stick thing that points ahead of the ship.) You can get out on this net -
there's room for a brigade - and ride (dry) above the waves just ahead of the ship as it cuts thru
the surf.
Food: There's a lot of it. The
variety at breakfast and lunch buffet each day is amazing. Breakfasts had all the normal crunchy
stuff plus oatmeal. A nice chef with stove top cooked eggs any way/any time/any amount you like.
Lunches had lots of greens, lots of cheeses, lots of noodle things, lots of fruits, lots of
desserts. And many hot dishes, meats. Dinners were very
nice. Every night there were three entry choices, and two choices of appetizer, a soup, a salad, a
pasta, three desserts, and a cheese plate. Selections included lobster tail, rack of lamb, baked
salmon, flounder, grouper, beef tenderloin, duck, shrimp tempura etc. The wine list is good, and
more moderately priced than any cruise line we have been on. $125 for bottle of good French merlot,
the house red wine, $22 for a French pinot noir, etc. They don't "push" alcohol. There
were finger sandwiches, fruit and hot snacks from 5-6pm on deck, and a snack in the piano bar from
1130pm-0030am. There is no room service except in suites. Didn't need it anyway.
Noticeably absent are ship
photographers. There was one captain's night, when men ore shirts with ties, few coats. Other
nights, long trousers and tropical or polo shirts for men and nice casual for women. During the day
shorts, etc were acceptable.
Sports The ship has a platform
off the back (the stern) that lowers into the water. The ship comes apart - and a float platform,
with room for 40, becomes a dock in the water (when the ship is anchored). You can swim off that - I
did. They launch some scuba and snorkel adventures off that. They also offer banana boat and zodiac
boat rides, and a Laser sailboat…..all for free. You can borrow for a week (for free) all the
snorkel and scuba gear you need. It's well organized. In some ports the equipment is moved to the
beach.
Shops: The desk where the
purser lives has toothpaste, lighters, and any combination of hats and shirts with the ship's logo.
No emeralds, no booze, no art, no nonsense, no discounts. Diamonds International and Columbian
Emeralds are not represented.
Tours: Couldn't comment. We
didn't take them. Seemed moderate and well-planned. Tour director was professional and thoughtful -
not a shill for the line's treasury.
Ports: St. Lucia: most shops
closed on Sunday. Visited Reduit Beach/anchored in Rodney Bay.
Terre
de Haut (Iles des Saintes): Anchored. Picturesque
French fishing village with shops. Used private beach at resort hotel….topless permitted. Antigua:
Anchored off Falmouth Harbor….longest in port day 11am-11pm. Tendered to beach for BBQ then
tendered to yacht club and walked to English Harbor and Nelson Dockyard. Looks like Annapolis harbor
with some HUGE yachts and lots of sailing yachts. Some people took taxis to St. John's to shop. St.
Kitts: Anchored off Basseterre/then moved to anchorage at South Friars Beach in Frigate Bay.
Spectacular unspoiled scenery. Artificial reef with good snorkeling and some topless sunbathing. No
hotels in sight….just beach, sea, and green mountains. Dominica: Pier-side at Cabrits, Portsmouth.
Rain forest. Snorkeling excursion by tender to underwater park. Rain!!
Martinique: Pierside in Forte de France.
Walked
to downtown shopping. Very French. My wife called it a woman's port: lots of boutique dress shops,
jewelry, etc. Went to duty free shops. Some took ferry to resort strip which they swore was like the
southern coast of France. Left too soon.
We purchased our air through
the cruise line and bought insurance….due to the recent troubles. The ship arrived in Barbados the
last day 13 hours late due to rough weather. They advised everyone early and they said they would
handle new travel arrangements for everyone by satellite to their European and Florida offices,
whether we had purchased through the cruise line or not. The held a briefing and then held
"open bar" for the rest of the day….including wine with lunch and dinner. We finally
arrived after dinner, and they promptly transported us to a Barbados resort hotel on the beach and
provided the room and meals at not cost, and transfer to the airport the next day. A class act. And
I only heard one complaint. Imagine that on Carnival!
Misc: No problem with
purchasing liquor ashore and bringing it aboard to use in the cabin. 220V electricity except
shavers. No doctor aboard, only a nurse who also works in the dining room. Tips directly to the crew
are discouraged. Guideline is $8 per day per person, put in cash or charge to a pool shared equally
by the crew. No smoking in cabins or any enclosed public areas, except a few smoking tables and a
small area in the piano bar.
Major pros: Ship is stunning
and sea-worthy - and truly sails (by hand, not computer.) Plenty of space, beautiful fixtures and
decorating. Well planned. Passenger count and socialization, if desired, is very satisfying.
"Intimate" is not the perfect word, but the idea works.
Major cons: None. But you must
know difference between sailing this ship and floating on a cruise ship. This ship sails. There is
the "motion of the ocean." Some may wish they were back in the Waldorf. Most pax who were
concerned used patches or Dramamine tablets.
Compares: To no ship at sea -
it surpasses other "sailing" cruise ships that are upscale with metallic sails or sails
that are moved by computers. The Royal's sails, while lowered and raised with power aids, are set
and "trimmed" by the Captain and his crew for maximum efficiency. And in size and
material, this is closest to what were true sailing ships of the 19th century - the way people and
goods moved between the hemispheres. Note: We have cruised twice on Princess, 5 times on Carnival,
once on HAL and once on RCL, and my wife has cruised on QE2 and Norwegian once each. We'll do those
again, but this was special.
From the pricing and
outfitting, you will expect to see folks who might otherwise ride Princess or HAL ships. This is not
the Carnival crowd. This is a cerebral crowd, usually sober, bored with slot machines, and past the
stage of wearing baseball caps (backwards), tank top shirts, or nose rings. I'll likely try another
Star Clippers Line cruise next year, perhaps on Star Clipper through the Treasure Islands!
I wrote this review from my
own notes and editing those of John Bradford who took the same cruise in Feb 3-10, 2001. Didn't want
to reinvent, but add to the review, and compare how it was over the past 10 months for this new
ship. It is even better today than last February.